Hormones are a vital part of all life. They help every living thing on the planet, from the smallest mouse to the largest sequoia in the redwood, grow, eat, exercise, and live healthy and happy lives. When life causes the hormones in your body to go out of whack, it is vital that you do everything in your power to get them back to healthy, balanced levels.
When going through HRT, it can sometimes be difficult for your body to accept the influx of hormones. Luckily, there are a few things that you can do to ensure your body is properly incorporating the supplement. We have compiled a list of things you can do at home to ensure your body becomes as happy and healthy as possible!
You may already know that protein provides your body with essential amino acids that it can’t create by itself. This alone would help your body during this time of hormonal turmoil, but that’s not all protein can do. Eating protein releases peptide hormones. Peptides help regulate many different processes in your body, including growth, metabolism, energy, and, most importantly, appetite.
By eating the recommended 15-30 grams daily—especially high-protein foods like lentils, fish, or eggs—you help support your body’s natural production of hormones, allowing it to focus on getting what it needs to make you feel the best you can.
Physical activity greatly affects hormonal health. Not only does it improve blood flow, but exercise also makes hormone receptors more sensitive. Consistent exercise will help your body get the nutrients and hormones it needs.
Exercise is also an integral part of your body’s natural hormone production. The hormone insulin helps your body absorb and break apart sugars in the bloodstream and regulate your body’s supply of energy. By exercising, you increase insulin sensitivity while lowering insulin levels, giving your body a more balanced hormonal state.
It should come as no surprise that the things that you put into your body will affect your health. Highly processed foods like sugars, breads, and other refined carbs will throw your hormone production, especially insulin, out of whack. Minimizing refined sugar intake and replacing it with a diet that supports your endocrine system will help maximize hormone treatments. Still, more importantly, it will help you feel better all around. Diets designed to support your endocrine system usually have high levels of fish, poultry, nuts, and high-fiber foods.
High levels of stress will throw your hormones off balance. Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, is designed to help the body cope with long-term stress but can lead to health problems if not managed. When you’re in a stressful situation, your body begins releasing this hormone into your bloodstream until the stressor has passed. Having this response become chronic will result in a wealth of other issues, even causing you to crave more sugar and salty foods while increasing your body’s production of fat, putting you at risk of obesity.
Creating a plan to help you de-stress daily ensures your body never reaches chronic stress. Luckily, you can use an unlimited supply of techniques to help. Techniques like meditation, acupuncture, and yoga can significantly lower stress levels, but even something as simple as listening to relaxing music can help you keep your stress in check.
Diet and exercise only go so far. Without enough quality sleep, your body is bound to run out of energy. Not getting enough rejuvenating rest daily will directly impact your hormone levels and how receptive you are to incoming hormone supplements. Hormones that are affected by sleep include insulin, leptin, growth hormone, and cortisol.
The best way to ensure your body gets the sleep it needs is by creating an environment and routine conducive to good sleep. Your brain should go through all five stages of the sleep cycle before you wake up. Some of the things you can do include:
Keeping your hormone levels balanced and healthy is one of the best ways to feel like your optimal self. Maintaining a healthy workout routine, sleep schedule, and diet ensures you will once again live optimally.
If you need help with your hormone balance journey, An Optimal You is here to help! We’re California’s #1 hormone replacement center, and our team of expert hormone specialists can guide you on your journey. Call our office today to set up your appointment!